Most things in life are better when we experience them with family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, or even people we’ve just met. And those who live near, our neighbors, are often the people we relax with the most.

You may not think of yourself as a party giver, but if you think small, you can get started easily by inviting a couple of neighbors over for tea or coffee. Bake some cookies to go with, or buy some at the local bakery or grocery. If the house is a bit messy, enjoy the beverages and chat on the porch. It can be as simple as that.

Taking a step up, you might invite a few more people and have an activity. My most recent fun afternoon was a cookie decorating afternoon. There were six of us, and all I did to prepare for it was bake sugar cookies to decorate and buy some decorative frostings. It was lots of fun, and everyone took home some cookies.

Taking a giant step when you’re ready, you might do something that is still easy but includes more people. A neighborhood soup supper is a great way to start. Soups are easy and inexpensive to make and you just need bowls and spoons for serving. You can start with only a couple of kinds of soups, and ask the neighbors to bring an appetizer or dessert to fill out the menu. Or you could ask the guests to bring the soups and you provide the go-withs. I have been doing annual soup suppers for 50+ years, and this year I made eight different soups and we had 30+ neighbors here. It was a lovely evening. But you don’t need to start with that many!!!

I know that some neighborhoods aren’t as friendly as others, but you might be surprised at how many people would love to get together. Each time I move, I have made the invitations for our soup supper and delivered them to the closest 20 or so houses. The response might be small, but I have never been in a neighborhood where there weren’t at least a dozen or so people who attended. And getting to know those people makes even the most closed up neighborhoods a better place to live.